


Outlaw Legends

by HeatherT_13



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:22:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28184598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherT_13/pseuds/HeatherT_13
Summary: 1899, the year where the west is starting to become tame. Where gangs of Outlaws are scattered to the winds. The Van Der Linde Gang is one of the most well known, as well as the most feared, ever since the infamous Blackwater Massacre. Now they are on the run from the law and have picked up an interesting woman who claims to be from the future. Not only that but the horse that she owns is unlike anything that they have ever seen, with silver hooves, black soulless eyes, dagger like teeth, and the ability to give people visions, they are in for one hell of a ride. A ride that may just change the outcome of their story forever.
Relationships: Abigail Roberts Marston/John Marston, OC/Arthur Morgan
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue: The Caravan

**PROLOGUE: The Caravan**

Frigid cold, that's all there was on top of that Godforsaken mountain. A massive caravan of wagons pulled by large horses struggled up through the near knee-deep snow. Two gentlemen sat on the driver’s seat of the lead wagon. “What are we doing up here, Dutch?” The one on the left yelled over the harsh, biting wind, “This is the last place we should be, especially with Davey in his condition!” The man was older, around the age of fifty-five, with grey, short cut hair and a cleanly shaven face. “I won’t be surprised if this cold weather kills him!” 

A sigh came from the younger man, about forty-four in age, with medium length slicked-back black hair and goatee, named Dutch “I know, but we weren’t gonna be able to lose the law otherwise! I hope you’re wrong and it don’t kill him, but with those injuries…I am sorry about this, Hosea… if I’d known what would have happened, I wouldn’t’ve- “ 

''I know, I know.” Hosea cut Dutch off before he could finish.

“Maybe you should send someone up ahead? See if they can find any shelter up here?” 

Dutch merely nodded his head and called over his shoulder, “Arthur, come up here for a minute!” 

A broad-shouldered man on a Grey Snowcapped Spotted Appaloosa trotted to the front of the wagon. “What is it Dutch? Is it Davey?” His voice had a deep and gruff tone, with a strong southern accent. 

“No, not yet anyway. I was gonna ask if you could ride ahead of us a bit, see if you can find any shelter for us?” Arthur was younger than both Dutch and Hosea, around thirty-six years of age. 

“Sure.” Arthur nodded as he spurred the horse into a slight canter and disappeared into the blinding storm.


	2. CHAPTER I: The Bones Of Colter

Arthur rode on into the frigid night air for what felt like ages, with only a low burning lamp to guide his path. “Damn, it's cold.” He shivered, rubbing his arms to try and keep warm. “Taima, how you doin’ there, girl?” He leaned over and lightly scratched the mare’s neck only to get a light nicker and huff in response. “I know I’m cold too.” He patted her neck gently and fed her a carrot from his satchel. “There you go, girl.” He looked up from feeding her to see shadows of what looked like buildings in the distance. “Well, I’ll be damned...we mighta found ourselves a place!” He spurred her forward again. “C’mon girl, jus’ a little farther.” 

Buildings slowly came into view, but it wasn’t anything to jump for joy over. It was an abandoned mining town by the looks of it, shacks with collapsed roofs, broken windows, and splintered walls. Arthur sighed in a disappointed fashion as he dismounted the mare. “Might as well take a look, I guess.” He noticed a barn to his immediate right and grabbed Taima’s reins from over her head and led her to the doors. “Let's get you inside so you can rest, girl.” He struggled with the doors that were buried slightly in the snow but managed to get them open. He lifted his lantern and cautiously stepped inside, leading Taima behind him only to come to a sudden halt at what he saw once inside.

The barn was dark and empty except for a large, black Friesian Stallion. His eyes were as black as coals, yet shiny like an onyx stone. The stallion spooked, reared, and trumpeted, his hooves flashing a silver color. “Woah, Woah, easy!” Arthur called out, lifting his hands in a surrendering motion. “Hold up easy eas- boy! Good boy! Now, now shhh.” The stallion snorted and threw its head, pawing at the ground in agitation. “That’s it… easy now…” Arthur slowly led Taima into the barn and shut the door gently behind her before slowly approaching the spooked stallion with caution. “Easy there...shh shh...good boy.” Arthur’s voice was low and soothing as he tried to calm the beast while he looked him over. 

The black stallion was surprisingly well fed by the looks of things, “Who’s takin’ care of you up here, huh?” He approached slowly, pausing each time the horse jerked or snorted, to calm it until he was within arms reach of him. “There you go...good boy, shhh, I ain’t gonna hurt ya..” Arthur reached out and gently patted the beast’s neck. “There now, see, I ain’t that scary, right?” The Friesian looked down at the man, a gleam in its eye. It stood at around 17 hands high, about the size of most of the Shire horses that Arthur had seen. “You’re a big one, ain’t ya?” Arthur looked around but didn’t see any saddle or hay to ride or feed the brute. “Where did you come from…”

A small sound made Arthur jerk his head to the side, right behind the horse. “What the hell…” He moved to look closer, and the stallion spooked again. “Hey now! Woah Woah!” The stallion turned its head and snapped at him aggressively, almost like an angry dog. “Hey!” That's when he got a good look at its teeth and he stumbled backward into the stall. The stallion’s teeth were a pristine white, but pointed and sharp like daggers. The beast reared again, his once coal-black eyes now turning a sharp moonstone white. “Jesus what the hell are you?!” Taima spooked and bolted out of the barn doors and into the blinding white of the storm. “Goddammit!” Arthur stumbled to his feet and drew his sawed-off shotgun from its holster on his right hip and pointed it straight at the insane and monstrous stallion’s head.

He was about to pull the trigger when a small whimpering sound, the one he had heard earlier, stopped him. He turned back to where he had fallen and saw something move from under a thin blanket. He moved slowly, keeping his gun trained on the stallion, and peeled back the blanket. “Holy shit…” 

There was a girl, no older than twenty-two laying on the ground shivering. 

“Miss, are you alright?” No response “Miss?” Arthur called out a little louder which seemed to startle the girl and she sat up and quickly scooted away. “Hey calm down...I ain’t here to hurt ya…” Her large doe-like eyes were trained on his gun. Arthur noticed and slowly holstered it holding out his hands again in surrender. “Are you hurt?” The girl shook her head and Arthur noticed something strange. 

Her hair was short, shorter than Dutch’s even, and her clothes were strange, to say the least. She wasn’t wearing a dress or a skirt like most women did, she was in jeans and some sort of black jacket, was it leather? 

“You from around here?” 

Again she shook her head.

“You don’t talk much do ya.” It was a statement 

“N-No, sir…” Arthur blinked, her accent was strange, similar to his but different somehow. 

“Alright then where are you from?” She didn’t answer him, instead she was staring at him like she had seen a ghost...like she knew him. “This your horse?” Arthur gestured with his head over to the black stallion and she nodded “Alright, well, what the hell is wrong with it? The damn thing tried to bite me, its teeth are messed up too, where’d you get that beast?” The girl swallowed and slowly stood up hugging herself either out of fear, to keep herself warm, or both.

“H-He came to me...saved me.” Arthur looked between her and the horse.

“It saved you?” 

She nodded “W-Wolves.” 

He sighed. “Listen, kid, no horse goes up against a pack of wolves, they’re scared to death of ‘em’.” He grabbed the blanket off the floor and wrapped it around her shoulders “Let's get you outta here and figure out where you came from later, sound good?” 

She nodded and reached down picking up a black bag and pulling it over her shoulders. Arthur looked at her for a second before speaking “What’s your name kid?” 

The girl shivered once more “H-Heather.” 

Arthur nodded over to the stallion “and your horse, what's his name?” 

She swallowed “Reaver.”


	3. CHAPTER II: The Vision

“So his name is Reaver huh?” Arthur and Heather were in one of the cabins that offered some shelter. 

“Yeah...I thought it was fitting.” 

Arthur chuckled as he warmed himself by the small fire “I don’t know about fittin’ but it’s somethin’. Now seriously, where’d you come from, I know it ain’t from anywhere around here or out west, your clothes tell me that much.” 

Silence filled the small cabin before she spoke “You...you wouldn’t believe me if I told you…I hardly believe it myself…”

Arthur sighed “How ‘bout you think on it for a while? I got some people to bring down here, get them fed and warm.”

She nodded and whispered, “I know…” 

Arthur looked at her “What do you mean ‘you know’ I just told ya.” 

She shrank away from him “Again… you wouldn’t believe me.” 

Arthur stared at her and blinked “Right...well you stay here and get warm. I’ll be back.” He walked out of the cabin and back into the white frigid snow. The second he stepped outside the door he whistled for Taima. “Cmon girl, where’d you go?” He was answered with a distant whinny and the sound of approaching hooves. “Thank God, pretty sure Charles woulda killed me if I lost ya.” Arthur grabbed the reins and patted the mare’s nose gently “You can’t just go runnin’ off like that, ya hear?” Taima snorted and lifted her head up and down in a nodding motion. “Good, let's get back to the others.” He climbed into the saddle and steered the mare into the direction they had come from and spurred her into another canter.

##  **************

Back at the caravan things weren’t going so well. An older man jumped off the back of the lead wagon, walked to the front, and called over the howling wind, “Abigail says Davey’s dyin’, Dutch, we’ll have to stop someplace!” 

Dutch nodded “Okay, Arthur’s out lookin’ I sent him up ahead a while ago!”

The man returned to the back of the wagon and climbed back inside. 

Hosea shivered “If we don’t stop soon we’ll all be dyin’. This weather….it's May!” 

Dutch nodded. “I know, hopefully, Arthur will be back soon and we can all get warm and rest.” Just as the two were speaking Dutch noticed a shadow of a horse and rider appear in the distance. “Look!” Arthur slowly came into view of the wagon “Arthur! Any luck?” 

Arthur lifted his head and called back over the wind “Yeah, I found us a place! Old abandoned minin’ town, it ain’t too far!” He trotted up beside Dutch and Hosea “I gotta tell you, I weren’t the first to find it.”

Dutch looked over confused “What do you mean son?” 

Arthur sighed “Found some girl and her horse in the stables while I was checkin’ out the place. She’s…well, she’s different, I don’t know how exactly but...she’s dressed kinda funny, and that horse of hers...”

Dutch looked at him confused, “Arthur, what are you talking about?”

Arthur sighed and shook his head “I’ll jus’ have to show ya! Come on!” He moved up in front of the wagon leading the way for the rest of the caravan to follow.

By the time they arrived the weather had only worsened, the darkness of midnight bringing a deathly chill with it.

“Dutch, get the women in that bigger cabin to the left for now.” Arthur’s voice was quiet so only Hosea and Dutch could hear him. “Help me get the horses in that barn over there and I’ll show you what I’m talkin’ about.”

Dutch nodded and looked at Hosea “You get everyone inside while I figure out what to do about this girl.” Dutch handed Hosea the reins and hopped off the wagon into the snow. A large man, who looked to be a mix between Native American and Black came forward leading a beautiful white Arabian Stallion.

“I hope The Count behaved himself for you, Charles?” Dutch said as he was handed the reins. 

“He did just fine Dutch, put up a little fuss at first but mellowed out after a bit.” 

Dutch smiled slightly and stroked the Arabian’s nose as Arthur spoke up. “You know how The Count is, don’t like nobody but you Dutch.” Arthur handed Taima’s reins over to Charles “Thanks for letting me borrow her, she did real good.” Taima nickered lightly in response to the praise. 

“Charles, you get inside, rest that hand, and get warm. Arthur and I will handle the horses from here.” Dutch ordered as he began heading to the barn 

“I’ll be fine Dutch.” Charles stated which had Dutch turning around to face him “Get inside son, Arthur and I have this covered, now go on.” 

Charles sighed but nodded and followed the others into the larger cabin on the left side.

“Okay Arthur, show me this horse and girl you were telling me about.” 

Arthur nodded and walked up to the barn doors and slowly opened them allowing Dutch to enter behind him with The Count. Arthur struck a match and lit a lantern that he had left hanging just inside the barn doors. It was dim but it was enough lighting to illuminate the large black stallion in the very last stall. 

“Well, I’ll be damned…” 

Arthur looked over at Dutch, confused by his reaction “You seen this horse before?” 

Dutch shook his head “Not this one in particular no but...I know its type.” Dutch hitched The Count up inside one of the stalls closest to the door and started in the direction of the other stallion.

“Dutch be careful, that horse ain’t normal.” Arthur reached out and grabbed his arm pulling him back. “Let me go first, just in case.” Dutch shrugged but nodded and stepped back allowing Arthur to go ahead of him. “Hey boy, remember me?” Arthur held his hands up and approached the Frisian with caution. The stallion looked over at him and snorted gently, his ears rotated fully forwards. “Yeah, that's it...good boy.” He got within arms reach of the beast and slowly reached his hand up, patting him on the neck “Yeah good boy.” With his other hand, he motioned Dutch over to him.

Dutch moved slowly, but his movement caught the stallion’s coal-black gaze and it jerked, rearing its head. “Hey, hey now easy...he's just a friend…” 

Dutch looked between Arthur and the horse “You always did have a way with horses Arthur.” Arthur stroked its neck gently, calming it once more as Dutch approached it and carefully held out his hand. “Those eyes are...they look so empty…” 

Arthur nodded “Like I said, it ain’t normal. Should have a look at those teeth, damn things are sharp as daggers!” Arthur slowly stepped back and allowed Dutch to take his place beside the beast. 

“What's its name?” 

Arthur scratched the back of his neck “Uh, Reaver I think is what she said his name was.” 

“Reaver?” At the sound of its name, the horse reared suddenly, his coal-black eyes once again flashing that moonstone white as he trumpeted. “Woah! Woah!” Dutch cried out as he stumbled backward away from the stallion “What the hell?!” Reaver sharply turned his head and stared Dutch down with those white empty-looking eyes. Both men backed up slowly, but the beast’s gaze never left Dutch, it looked at him like it was studying him like he was staring into his soul. The area around Dutch began to blur and turn dark.

**_The cave was dark,_ **

**_water dripped from the ceiling and into the still water around Dutch’s feet._ **

**_Something didn’t feel right,_ ** **_he had only just been in that barn, hadn’t he?_ **

**_Dutch felt the bitter cold,_ ** **_was he still in that barn with that monster of a horse?_ **

**_The air didn’t feel right here,_ ** **_Dutch had a bad feeling like he was in danger._ **

**_“Hello?”_ **

**_Footsteps in the distance_ **

**_“Is anyone there?”_ **

**_The footsteps were getting closer now._ **

**_A deep chuckle got his attention and he spun around,_ ** **_someone else was here with him, someone he couldn’t see._ **

**_“You can’t run from this.”_ **

**_Dutch spun around in a circle,_ ** **_the voice came from everywhere, from nowhere._ **

**_“You can’t run from me.”_ **

**_The voice,_ ** **_it sounded so familiar, but why?_ **

**_“You can’t run....from yourself.”_ **

**_Dutch felt a hand grab his shoulder,_ ** **_he spun around to see who the voice belonged to..._ **

**_H_ ** **_imself._ **

**_This other version of himself looked worn,_** **_his normally neat clothes were filthy._ **

**_His vest undone,_ ** **_his normally slicked back hair in disarray._ **

**_He looked so...angry,_ ** **_insane even._ **

**_“You’ll never make it. Everyone will die or run, it's all your fault.”_ **

**_Dutch felt a chill go down his spine._ **

**_“You’re wrong.”_ **

**_The other one grinned._**

**_“Am I?”_ **

**_Dutch panicked and shoved this other version away._ **

**_The other one didn’t like that._ **

**_“You’re too weak!”_ **

**Dutch was pulled into a choke-hold,** **_this other version was strong, very strong._**

 **_Dutch struggled to break free,_ ** **_the other released him only to hit him in the face._ **

**_Dutch stumbled backward into the water,_ ** **_the other was above him in a second._ **

**_Dutch was being drowned,_ ** **_he struggled in vain against his aggressor._ **

**_“You. Will. Fail.”_ **

**_Everything went black._ **

“Dutch? Dutch, are you alright? Dutch!” Arthur was calling out to him, Dutch blinked and the vision cleared, he was back in the barn. “Dutch, you okay there?” Dutch swallowed, clearly shaken from the encounter. That horse was still staring at him, its eyes still that pale moonstone white. 

“Arthur...that girl, where is she?” Noticing the uneasiness in Dutch’s voice he stepped in front of him, blocking the stallion’s line of sight. 

“She's in that small cabin, across from the big one, you go on, I’ll calm this beast down.”

Dutch nodded even though Arthur couldn’t see and slowly backed out of the barn doors, closing them once he made it out.

He heard Arthur inside trying to calm and soothe the horse’s nerves “Easy it's okay...he’s gone...shh shh boy. Hey! Hey now! Woah!” A loud thud was heard as something slammed into the barn door “Ow! Goddammit…”

“You alright in there Arthur?”

Dutch heard a low groan “Yeah, I’m fine! The damn thing just kicked me but I’m fine!” 

Dutch opened the barn door as Arthur stumbled out.

“Damn horse.” 

Dutch couldn’t help but chuckle “Not the first time you’ve been kicked by a horse.” 

Arthur rolled his eyes “Yeah and it ain’t gonna be the last time neither.” He rubbed his chest lightly in discomfort. “Come on, let's get in that cabin, leave that beast in there to calm himself down.” 

Dutch nodded. “I agree.”


	4. CHAPTER III: She's From The Future

Arthur and Dutch stood outside the small cabin, a lantern illuminating the door. “I gotta warn ya Dutch, she’s a little skittish so…” 

Dutch scoffed “As if I would draw my gun on a young girl. What do you take me for Arthur?” 

Arthur held up his hands in surrender “I ain’t sayin’ you would, I jus’ figured I’d let you know, that's all.” Arthur knocked on the door and called out “You still in here, kid?” There was a sound of something heavy dropping on the ground and a small curse as Arthur opened the door and stepped inside, Dutch following behind him. 

“Kid?” The girl had fallen off of the small bed and was now laying on the floor “Y’alright?” She sat up slowly shaking her head a little 

“Yeah, I just fell off the bed I think, you scared me.” A shadow moved from behind Arthur. 

“Arthur can be scary sometimes, can’t he?” The voice was deep and gruff sounding and the girl startled. 

“Dutch I told you not to scare her.” Dutch merely hummed in acknowledgment as he took in the girls appearance and the bag that sat at the foot of the bed”

“You said you found her in the barn with that horse?” 

Arthur nodded “Yeah, don’t think she had been there long though, that jacket of hers felt too warm.” 

Dutch tilted his head a little, studying the jacket in question. “You were right about one thing, she is dressed kinda funny.” The girl looked down and blushed in embarrassment “What’s your name, Miss?” 

The girl looked at Dutch then back to Arthur “Heather…” 

Dutch nodded “Where did you come from, Heather?” 

Heather fidgeted with the zipper on her jacket and whispered “You wouldn’t believe me…” 

Dutch blinked and took a step forward to hear her better “What?”

“I said you wouldn’t believe me.” 

Arthur closed the door to the cabin as Dutch crouched down in front of her. “Why wouldn’t I believe you?” Dutch looked bigger in the firelight, like a looming shadow cast over a small animal. “Miss?” 

Heather startled a little again before answering “Because I don’t believe it myself.” 

Dutch looked at her “You aren’t with the O'Driscolls are you?” 

“Dutch!” Arthur exclaimed “Does she look like she runs with them? Look at her!” 

Dutch turned his head “I am lookin’, and all I’m seein’ is some girl who just so happens to be up here, with some crazy horse, who’s dressed funny. What am I supposed to think?”

Arthur opened his mouth to speak but was cut off. “I don’t run with them. I wouldn’t run with them even if it was my only option.” Arthur and Dutch both turned to her but it was Dutch who spoke first 

“But you know about them?” 

Heather nodded “I know about them…I also know about you.” 

The air in the room grew thick with tension and Dutch stood up and went to go stand by the fire a few feet away. 

“Just tell us where you came from kid, that’s all we’re askin’.” Arthur’s voice was gentle, but a little demanding and Heather nodded and sighed. 

“I’m...I’m from a different time...the future.” That got the attention of Dutch quickly. “You’re from where?” His tone was harsh, though laced with confusion. 

“Th-The future....a little over a century from now…”

Arthur laughed “You’re kiddin’, good one kid, real good!” When the girl didn’t respond Arthur stopped “Wait you’re serious…” 

She nodded and motioned over to the bag at the foot of the bed. “You can look through that bag if you don’t believe me.” Arthur started towards the bag as Heather looked up at Dutch “There’s also this…” She reached behind her on the bed and pulled something out from under the pillow and slid it across the floor towards Dutch. 

“That’s so you think I won’t try to kill you in your sleep or anything…” Dutch picked up the object, slowly turning it over in his hands. 

“Is this a gun?” 

Heather nodded “Made by Smith & Wesson, it’s loaded...so be careful.” Dutch studied the oddly shaped barrel and the engravings on it. 

“.380...what does that mean?” Heather smiled and walked over holding her hand out for the gun. 

“It stands for the caliber it uses. .380 is the caliber made between a .22 and a .9mm” 

Arthur was digging his way through the bag when he cried out “Ow! What the hell?”

He pulled out an ax and a knife safely in its sheath “The hell kinda ax is this?” He held it up to the light to study it better. One side had a regular ax blade, while the other had a nasty pick-ax like point 

“Sorry, forgot about that…be careful its sharp…” 

He grunted and set the ax down and gently removed the knife out of its sheath. “Hey Dutch, there's an engravin’ on this knife here...1942 to 2017...Dutch I don’t think she's lyin’....” 

Dutch shook his head “No...No son I don’t think she is either…” Heather reached into her back pocket 

“There’s one more thing, to prove what I’m telling you is true.”

She pulled a flat rectangular object out of her pocket and pushed a button on the side illuminating the room with light. “It’s called a cellphone.” Dutch jerked back at the sudden light, reaching down to the gun at his hip. “It's not dangerous, see look.” Her fingers swiped across the screen and new images with smaller images popped up on the screen. 

“I...I need to go lie down...I haven’t slept in three days…” 

Arthur came over and put his hand on Dutch’s shoulder. “What are we gonna do with the kid?” 

Dutch glanced at Arthur “She comes with us. Come on Miss.” 

Heather went over and grabbed her bag, putting her things, except for her gun, inside. She concealed her pistol in the waistband of her pants, hooking the clip of the plastic holster over her belt, and followed Dutch and Arthur outside into the snow. She looked over to the barn hearing a commotion “Reaver, is he okay?” Dutch turned a little pale at the sound of the horse’s name. 

“I spooked him earlier, Arthur tried to calm him down but…”

Heather nodded “I understand, he doesn’t like people. I’ll go calm him down.” Before Dutch or Arthur could stop her she was already headed for the barn and had slipped inside. 

“Well.” Arthur said looking at Dutch “What do you think?” 

Dutch shook his head “I don’t know, son. I don’t know.”


	5. CHAPTER IV: Words Of Encouragement

I slowly and calmly entered the barn, it was still dimly lit by the lone lantern that hung by the door. Reaver, illuminated by the lamp’s light, was clearly agitated. He was tossing his head and pawing at the frozen ground beneath his hooves like it had personally offended him. “Hey, there big guy...easy buddy,” I spoke gently to him, trying to calm him down. “It’s alright.” Reaver turned his burning white gaze to look at me. “It’s alright, it's just me, nothing to be afraid of. There, good boy.” Reaver slowly began to calm, his moonstone white eyes slowly turning back to their empty coal black.

I walked over and gently patted his nose “Dutch spooked you pretty good huh? I think you spooked him more though.” Reaver gave a heavy snort in response, almost like he was scoffing at me. “Hey now, don’t use that tone with me…here.” I reached into my backpack and brought out something to feed him. Reaver snatched the food with his dagger-like teeth, throwing his head back and swallowed the morsel of food whole.

I turned as the barn door slowly opened and a shadow was cast into the barn. Reaver spooked but didn’t rear this time, just merely stared at the door, stamping his right hoof and snorting. “Shh, easy boy…” I gently scratched Reaver’s neck and behind his left ear lightly as the barn door shut. The lantern illuminated the figure that stood in the doorway. Dutch. 

“You should get inside with the others Miss.” Reaver snorted and grunted, staring Dutch down with his piercing white gaze. Dutch seemed weary as he noticed Reaver staring at him. “That horse of yours don’t like me too much.” 

I clicked my tongue lightly, getting Reaver’s attention. “C’mon big guy, look at me.” Reaver turned his ear towards me but didn’t move his head. “Reaver.” My tone was a little sterner and he finally turned his head. “What’s gotten into you? Huh?” Dutch, noticing the stallion’s attention was elsewhere, took a step farther into the barn. 

“Miss, you really should get insi-” 

“He showed you something, didn’t he?” I cut Dutch off before he could finish “I noticed how you looked when I mentioned Reaver’s name out there a minute ago.” 

Dutch cleared his throat, seeming a little unsure “Listen, Miss…” 

I turned around to face him fully. “What did he show you?”

Dutch sighed “Somethin’ that weren’t nice, now please...come and join the others?” I looked between Reaver and Dutch, petting the stallion one last time, before nodding. 

“Alright, where are they?” 

Dutch opened the barn door, removing the lantern from where it hung on the nearby hook, and motioned me in front of him. “The largest cabin there on the left.” I nodded and shivered, walking into the knee-deep snow. “Here.” I felt a warm and heavy blanket drape around my shoulders and I clung onto it tightly. 

“Thank you.” 

When the pair reached the door to the large cabin, Heather handed the large blanket back to Dutch. “Someone else might need it.” She said, earning a strange look from Dutch as he accepted the blanket back and taking the lead, heading inside before her. 

“Davey’s dead Dutch.” A woman’s voice said as they came through the door. 

“There’s nothing more we could have done.” Another voice said 

“Well, what are we gonna do? We need supplies.” Hosea spoke up, concerned since there was little to eat. A small fire burned in the fireplace in the center of the room, everyone was quiet, waiting for their leader to speak.

“Well, first of all, you all are gonna stay here, get yourselves warmed up. I sent John and Micah scouting out ahead of us before this storm came through. I’ll take Arthur, see if we can find one of ‘em.” 

Arthur looked unsure “In this?” He sounded as unsure as he looked. 

“Just for a short bit. I don’t see what other choice we have.” Dutch looked back behind him and gently ushered Heather forward, towards the rest of the gang. Everyone immediately turned to look at her, and she shrank under their gaze. 

Arthur noticed her hesitation “It’s alright, don’t be scared. Ms.Grimshaw, can you help this kid get warm? She’s been out in that cold ‘bout as long as the rest of us.”

Ms.Grimshaw nodded and motioned Heather over “This way dear, with the other ladies, come on.” Heather looked back at Arthur, who merely nodded at her, before following Ms.Grimshaw. 

Dutch waited as everyone got settled a bit before speaking. “Listen...listen to me all of you, for a moment.” The room went quiet, the only sound being the wind howling outside the cabin walls. “Now we’ve had...well, a bad couple of days. I loved Davey...Jenny...Sean, Mac...they may be okay, we don’t know. But we lost some folks.” 

The air in the room turned mournful, a few people whispering sadly as Dutch resumed talking “Now if I could...throw myself in the ground in their stead...I’d do it...gladly. But...we’re gonna ride out...and we are gonna find some food. Everybody, we’re safe now. There ain’t nobody following us through a storm like this one...and by the time they get here...well we’re gonna be...we’re gonna be long gone.” A few unsure glances passed between a few members of the gang, which didn’t go unnoticed by the leader. “We’ve been through worse than this before. Mr.Pearson…” A heavyset balding man turned toward Dutch at the sound of his name being called “Ms.Grimshaw, I need you to turn this place into a camp. We may be here for a few days.” 

They nodded and quietly started getting things set up as Dutch finished talking “Now all of you...all of you...get yourselves warm. Stay strong. Stay with me. We ain’t done yet!” Dutch turned around and grabbed a lantern that was sitting on a table and called over his shoulder as he headed out the door “Come on Arthur.”

Arthur sighed and patted Hosea on the shoulder “Keep an eye on the kid will ya? She looks pretty spooked.” 

Hosea turned around “Is that the girl you were talking about on the way up here? The one you found in the barn?” 

Arthur nodded “Yeah, which is why I’m tellin’ you to keep an eye on her.” 

Hosea looked over at the girl “Arthur, why is she dressed like that?” 

Arthur sighed “Dutch and I will explain later, just…” 

“Keep an eye on her, I know. You and Dutch be careful out there.” Hosea put a hand on Arthur’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. 

“We will, I’ll try and bring back what I can, and Hosea...don’t go into that barn.” Hosea gave Arthur a concerned look but nodded in response. 

“Arthur are you comin’ or what?!” Dutch called from outside. 

Arthur sighed in a bit of annoyance, before giving Hosea one last look, and heading out of the warmth of the cabin and into the frigid cold once more.


	6. CHAPTER V: Taming A Beast

Arthur stepped outside the cabin to meet Dutch. “We ain’t run into Micah or John yet, so they must have gone on down the hill.” Dutch shivered as he spoke to Arthur. 

“Sure,” Arthur said as he looked as far down the path as the snow would allow. “Dutch, I ain’t had time to ask. What really went down back there on that boat?” Dutch reached over and put his hand on Arthur’s shoulder 

“We missed you. That’s what happened. Now come on, see if that beast of a horse will let you ride him.” 

Arthur paled “Are you insane? Even if he would let me, there ain’t no saddle or bridle that I could see in there for him!” 

Dutch sighed as they both made their way to the barn “You got a lasso on you, don’t you?” 

Arthur nodded “Well yes of course but-” 

“Then use that to tie around his head like a bridle.” Dutch’s tone left no room for argument as they entered the barn. 

“I’m tellin’ ya Dutch, I don’t like this.” Arthur tried again to argue since his last two encounters with Reaver didn’t go so well. 

“Yeah well I ain’t askin’ you, son, I’m tellin’.”

Arthur groaned and removed his lasso from his satchel and slowly made his way toward Reaver. “Hey there feller…” Reaver turned his head toward Arthur curiously. “I need you to do me a favor...a favor you probably ain’t gonna like.” Reaver’s ears twitched and rotated back and forth. “Here...a peace offerin’.” Arthur reached into his satchel and pulled out an apple. “You like apples, right?” Reaver gently took the apple out of Arthur’s hand and gave a gentle huff. “Okay, here goes nothin’ I guess…” Arthur tied the lasso and slowly slipped it over Reaver’s head. “There you go...that’s it...good boy.” Reaver held somewhat still, besides pawing his right hoof against the frozen floor of the barn. “I know, listen if it means anythin’ to ya, this weren’t my idea.” 

“That beast calm enough to ride?” Dutch spoke up, holding The Count’s reins by the open barn door. Arthur gently tugged on the makeshift bridle, leading Reaver to the door as well. 

“We’ll soon find out I guess. Say, why don’t you try ridin’ him Dutch?” 

Dutch rolled his eyes “‘Cause that horse don’t like me.” 

Arthur scoffed “So you’re assumin’ he likes me? He kicked me, remember?” Dutch shook his head and led The Count outside before mounting the saddle 

“It ain’t up for discussion Arthur, now hurry up. The sooner we get this done the better.”

Arthur gently stroked Reaver’s neck and along his back “Dutch I really don’t think-” 

“Do you not trust me, son?” 

Arthur shook his head “It ain’t that I jus’...I don’t trust this horse is all. Whatever he did to you in that barn earlier shook you up pretty good.” Dutch looked away and acted like he was adjusting the reins. “What did he do, Dutch?” Dutch didn’t answer “Dutch what did he d-” 

“I don’t wanna talk about it, Arthur!” Dutch snapped making Arthur hold his hands up in surrender and back up some. “I’m sorry son, I didn’t mean…” 

“Ah it’s alright, I pushed you too far, I get it.” Dutch sighed and glanced over his shoulder at Arthur impatiently “I know, I know, I’m workin’ on it.” Arthur said as he caught Dutch’s eye. 

“I could always get that girl out here to-” 

“No I got it, don’t need to drag her out here in this goddamned weather.” Dutch chuckled lightly “What you laughin’ at, Dutch?” 

The older man shook his head “Oh nothing, son. Nothing at all.”

Arthur took a deep breath to steel his nerves before clumsily clambering onto Reaver’s back. The beast huffed and snorted in annoyance and pawed at the ground in agitation. “Easy boy...easy…” Reaver settled finally and Arthur stroked his neck “There good boy. Here…” Arthur reached into his satchel and produced another apple, feeding it to the beast. 

“I thought you said he didn’t like you, Arthur?” Dutch teased him lightly 

“He don’t like me.” 

Dutch hummed in response “Whatever you say, son. Now, see if you can control him. Follow me.” 

Dutch spurred his Arabian into a slight trot through the snow in front of Arthur and his new steed. Arthur lightly spurred Reaver in the sides...the brute immediately reared. “Hey, hey, Woah!” Arthur gripped onto the makeshift reins, praying they would hold, as he tried not to fall off. “Easy! Easy boy! It’s okay!” Reaver settled back on his front hooves and snorted loudly before setting off in a trot to follow alongside Dutch. The older man was trying to hold in his laughter 

“See, I told you he liked you better.” 

Arthur glared at him “Shut up Dutch.” 

Dutch cleared his throat and nodded his head “Alright then, let's head out there and see if we can find our boys.” 

Reaver followed the leader without a struggle “I ain’t sure what we’re gonna find out here, Dutch.” Arthur called out over the wind “I can barely see anything as it is.” Arthur noticed that the black stallion wasn’t struggling in the deep snow as much as the other horses were. He leaned down and patted his neck gently as Dutch spoke up 

“We have to try, just stay close and we will see if we can’t stick to this trail!” 

Arthur shivered “You think this storm will last much longer?” 

Dutch hunkered down over his saddle “It’s been two days or more, it’ll have to blow over soon!” 

“I just....what happened to Davey...I can’t believe it.” The air grew thick with sorrow 

“He’s the last one Arthur, no more.”

The pair had been riding for a while when Dutch stopped “Hang on, someone’s coming down the trail.” Dutch held up his lantern, trying to see through the blinding storm “You up ahead! Who’s there?” A man with long blonde hair and handlebar mustache came into view. “Micah.” Dutch greeted 

“Gentlemen,” Micah responded

“Have you found anything?” Dutch inquired as Micah spurred his horse closer. 

“I think so. A little homestead down thataway.” Micah motioned his head back from the direction he came. 

“Anyone home?” 

Micah glanced a look over at Arthur and laughed “Didn’t know you could ride bareback, Morgan. Where’d you find that thing?” Reaver snorted and Arthur scratched his neck 

“None of your damn business, now was there anyone home?” Micah shrugged “Sure. The place is blazing with light and noise. Sounded like a party.” 

“Let’s go see, now you two quit arguing. Lead the way, Micah.”

Micah turned his horse around “Follow me. How’s Davey doin’?”

Dutch just shook his head “Ah, he didn’t make it. Nor did little Jenny.” There was a pause. 

“That’s too bad, Davey was a real fighter. Both of them Callander boys is or...was. What about Mac and Sean?” 

Arthur fell to the back of the group, allowing Dutch and Micah to talk 

“We don’t know, we got separated on the ride out of there.” 

Micah grunted “Quite a business…” 

The group rode on ahead for a while before Arthur finally spoke up “Ask him if he’s seen, John!” 

Dutch, being directly behind Micah relayed Arthur’s question “Have you seen John, Micah?”

Micah called back over his shoulder “Didn’t see much of anything once this storm blew in!” 

“Micah says he hasn’t seen him, Arthur!” 

“I’m sure he’ll be fine, things always turn out right for that boy!” Arthur’s response was more, it seemed, for himself than the other two. He had his issues with John, sure. But at the end of it all, they were brothers. 

“I hope...Mac and Sean, they’re still out there somewhere too!” Dutch voiced his concern for the other two missing members, to lose Davey and Jenny was bad enough, but to lose two more members? Dutch didn’t want to think about it. “Arthur, you move on up, I’ll take up the rear...I need to think a minute.”

As Arthur lightly spurred Reaver forward he pulled back on the reins to keep pace beside the leader. “You okay, Dutch?” The younger man was concerned, it wasn’t like Dutch to be this quiet 

“I’ll be fine, son, I’m just worried is all.”

Arthur reached over and placed a hand on Dutch’s shoulder “It’ll be okay Dutch like you said...Davey is gonna be the last one.”

Dutch looked the other in the eyes “I hope you’re right, son. I hope you’re right.”


	7. CHAPTER VI: Curiosity

Back in the cabin, everyone was either nervous, weary, or exhausted, some were even all three. “Hosea what are we gonna do they’ve been gone for a while.” At the sound of his name, Hosea turned to meet the eyes of the one who had voiced her concern. It was a young woman, with long black hair and kind blue eyes. 

“I know you’re worried, Abigail... but please try and stay calm, panicking won’t help the situation.” 

The woman sighed “I’m...I’m not panicking, I’m just concerned for Jack.” 

“I know, Ms. Roberts, Dutch, and Arthur will be back soon with supplies, you just have to have faith in them.”

Jack was Abigail’s young son who was no older than four years old. He shyly went over to Heather, who was currently sitting by the fire. “U-Um.. excuse me?” 

Heather looked over at him. “Hi there, what’s your name?” The young boy shifted his weight a little 

“Jack.”

Heather held out her hand “Hi Jack, I’m Heather, it’s nice to meet you.” 

He shook her hand and smiled “Are you...are you gonna be staying with us too?” 

Heather laughed a little “I don’t know, that will be up to Mr. Van Der Linde.” 

Jack’s eyes lit up a little “You know Uncle Dutch?” 

Heather nodded “I do a little yeah, he and Arthur helped me get out of that horrible weather.” The truth was that she knew everyone here quite well, but she couldn’t say that, not yet. 

“If Uncle Dutch knows you, then he’ll let you stay! He’s really nice!” Heather scooted over and patted the floor beside her near the fire 

“Oh he is, is he?” 

Jack nodded “Yeah! He helps stop the bad guys from getting us! He’s the best!” Heather reached over and gently ruffled his hair 

“Well, he sounds like a very brave man.” 

Little Jack giggled which caught the attention of his mother, Abigail.

“Jack, what have I told you about talking to strangers?” Abigail stormed over and picked him up in one swift movement 

“But mama she’s nice! She says she knows Uncle Dutch and Uncle Arthur!” 

Abigail shook her head “Just because she knows about them doesn’t mean she’s nice Jack.” 

“I’m sorry miss...Dutch and Arthur helped me out of that snowstorm, I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. I certainly don’t mean any harm toward your son.” Heather was quick, but kind in defending herself. Now certainly wasn’t the time to upset anyone here, especially with someone who had as much pull as Abigail Roberts.

“Well until they both approve of you, don’t talk to my son, fair?” 

Heather quickly nodded her head “Yes, of course.” Abigail quickly turned on her heel and walked to the other side of the cabin. 

“Don’t take it to heart, Abigail normally isn’t like that.” Hosea, having heard the interaction between the two women, came over and sat down in front of the fire. 

Heather merely shrugged “I understand, she’s trying to look out for her son, any mother, of good standing, would do the same.” Hosea took in the girl’s appearance, she seemed harmless enough, but he wasn’t going to judge a book by its cover.

“Arthur said he found you in that barn out yonder?” The girl nodded her head but otherwise kept quiet. Hosea was about to inquire as to why Arthur told him to stay clear of said barn, but before he could Ms.Grimshaw had come up to them both. 

“Mr. Matthews, the girls have your room ready.” Hosea merely nodded and groaned a little as he stood up 

“Thank you, Susan, give my thanks to the girls as well.” 

She nodded politely and motioned to the door on the right before turning her attention to Heather. “I don’t believe I got your name, miss?” 

The girl looked up shyly “Heather.” 

Ms.Grimshaw nodded again and held out her hand “My name is Susan, I’m in charge of the camp, right after Dutch, of course.” 

Heather shook her hand and stood up “I’m pleased to meet you as well, though given the circumstances another mouth to feed is probably the last thing you need, so I apologize.” 

This earned her a stern look from the other woman “Don’t be ridiculous, you would have frozen out there if Mr.Morgan and Dutch hadn’t brought you in here. All I ask is that you do your part to help the rest of the camp and you’ll do just fine, am I clear?” 

Heather quickly nodded “Yes, ma’am.” 

“Good, you will be with the rest of the girls, for now, follow me, dear.” 

The rest of the girls, as it turned out, were using what used to be an old schoolhouse as their room and board. Several desks had been turned lengthwise against the wall to make room for the bedrolls. It wasn’t comfortable, but given the situation, they didn’t have any other choice. 

“We put you at the far end over there, it's nothing personal, it's just we don’t know you all that well yet.” 

Heather raised her hands a little “No, no, it’s fine I completely understand.” 

Ms.Grimshaw looked at her approvingly “Well it seems you were raised correctly, maybe the other girls can learn a thing or two from you, Ms.Heather.”

Heather blushed slightly, “I don’t think I would be the best mentor, ma’am.” 

Ms.Grimshaw spoke as she fixed up a bedroll for Heather “Well either way you have more manners about you than most of the people of this camp. Let’s hope it rubs off on them, the men especially.” Heather couldn’t help but chuckle a little at that statement as she settled down on the makeshift bedroll. She highly doubted she could teach anyone manners, especially the men of this camp.


	8. CHAPTER VII: The Homestead

Back out on the trail, the trio crested a hill overlooking a small, cozy-looking, homestead. “This is it, gentlemen,” Micah spoke up as he leaned forward on his saddle, eyeing the place like a starved dog would a steak. 

Arthur eyed Micah “You sure about this, Dutch?” He said as he turned to face the leader 

“All we are here for is to see if we can find some supplies and more shelter, that’s all, I don’t plan on killin’ anyone here.” Arthur nodded and turned back to face Micah 

“How many do you reckon are in there?” 

Micah shrugged “Don’t know, all I know is there are quite a few by the sound of things.” Reaver pawed at the ground in agitation, probably due to the cold snow. 

“You’re alright boy,” Arthur said softly as he patted the stallion’s neck.

“Leave the horses here and get out of sight in that shed and behind that wagon. We don’t want to spook anyone who is in there.” 

Micah and Arthur nodded and dismounted their steeds and headed for their hiding spots while Dutch stood just in front of the porch. “Hello in there!” Dutch called out into the storm “Is anyone home?” The music in the house immediately stopped as someone unknown opened the door and stepped outside. 

“What you want?” The stranger, who sounded rather irritated that he had been interrupted, called out to Dutch. 

“I am very sorry to disturb you.” Dutch could tell the stranger was not very welcoming “I wouldn’t do this normally but you see, well my friends and I got into some trouble up the way,” Dutch motioned behind him, back up the hill “and we got lost in this awful storm.”

The one who had confronted Dutch came down the stairs to face him properly, just as another man showed up in the doorway. 

“We can’t help you, mister.” The first one spoke out while the other stayed quiet. 

“I got folks dyin’ out on the trail…” Dutch said just as a small rock was thrown at the shed where Arthur was hiding. 

“Arthur, we got a problem.” Micah. Arthur snuck over to the corner of the shed and poked his head slightly over it to see what the problem was. “Arthur, there’s a corpse right here, there’s a body in this wagon.” 

Arthur sighed “I hear you, just...keep an eye on Dutch.” Arthur looked over to see more people coming around from the side of the house, Dutch was getting surrounded. 

“Aw, did you hear that? He said he’s got folks that are dyin’.” The man that was in front of Dutch, mocked him. 

Dutch was becoming a little uneasy “All I need are some cans of food or something…gentlemen, please.” 

The stranger shook his head “I think you should go now, buddy.” Someone else appeared in the window on the second floor, the strangers were drawing their weapons. 

“Now friend...I ain’t askin’ for much…” Dutch started to back away slowly “Please...I am kinda desperate here....”

BANG! A bullet launched itself from the barrel of Arthur’s Cattleman Revolver and flew straight into the stranger’s skull.

It took a second for the shock to wear off, but the second it did all hell ensued. Dutch dropped his lantern in the snow and drew his revolvers and began to open fire. “Watch that window Arthur!” Dutch called just as a bullet whizzed past his head as he got behind what cover there was. “Shit, Arthur shoot him!” 

“I see him!” A bullet sailed through the window and into said person’s chest. He went down and didn’t come back up. 

Arthur one is tryin’ to make a break for it!” Arthur started to chase the stranger down and put a bullet in his head. 

“Dammit Arthur, I said I would handle this!” Dutch yelled at him. 

“Didn’t seem like it was goin’ to well to me Dutch, you were bein’ surrounded!” 

Dutch looked down at one of the strangers and cursed “These are O’Driscoll’s boys! What are they doing way out here?” Dutch was shocked and frustrated, he thought he had seen the last of them back in Blackwater. 

“Maybe they are here for the same reason we are?” Micah pondered aloud. 

“I don’t know and I don’t care right now, we got more important things to deal with, folks, to take care of! Micah, bring the horses down here, Arthur and I will search the cabin!” Micah gave a quick nod and started to trudge back up the hill 

“Hey, Micah...watch out for that big stallion! He bites!” Arthur ground out as he followed Dutch inside. 

“Arthur lets turn this place upside down, we need the essentials, food, medicine...and whiskey, I’ll see if I can find some extra blankets, anything to keep us warm.”

##  **************

Micah reached the horses and had led The Count and his horse Baylock down to the house, now he was going back up for Reaver. “Alright you big brute, let’s go.” Micah reached for the makeshift bridle to lead the stallion down to the other two horses. Reaver reared and trumpeted, knocking Micah backward and into the snow. “Hey!” Micah struggled to stand as the black stallion swiftly turned and bolted away into the snow “Dammit, get back here you stupid beast!” Micah tried to chase after it, but the snow was too deep and he lost sight of him.

Micah cursed and grumbled as he made his way back down to the house, just as Arthur and Dutch made their way outside. 

“Where’s Reaver?” 

Micah sighed “Went to go lead him down here with the others, but the bastard reared and ran off on me.” 

Arthur rubbed a hand down his face and sighed “I told you to be careful.” 

“You told me he bites, not that he’d up and bolt like that! Ain’t my fault your horse is crazy!” 

“He’s ain’t even mine he’s-” 

“Enough! Both of you! Arthur, go see if there is another horse in that barn over there. Micah go into the cabin and search behind us, see if we missed anything, please?” Dutch was annoyed, it was clear by the tone he was using with the two men. 

“Sure.” Arthur said and shivered as he went to check inside the barn “She’s gonna kill me…” Arthur grumbled under his breath as he opened the doors and stepped inside.

He was tackled to the ground the second he made it through the barn doors. “You bastards shot my cousin!” 

Arthur scrambled up off the floor “Yeah well, he started it!” This day just kept getting better and better 

“I’m gonna break your neck!” The stranger jumped at Arthur, but Arthur threw a punch and knocked him backward. 

“You wanna try that again, tough guy?” Arthur taunted “Or are you jus’ gonna run away like your friend out there?” The stranger yelled and tackled Arthur down onto the floor of the barn. They grappled each other for a minute when a voice called in from outside. 

“What’s goin’ on?” It was Dutch, pistol in hand. 

“This guy just jumped me!” 

Dutch laughed “Oh did he now?” 

Arthur got the upper hand and pinned the guy to the floor under him, a hand wrapped around his throat. “Sneaky little bastard, you want me to kill him?” 

Dutch was leaned up against the door frame, smoking one of his prized cigars “No...not yet...find out what they’re doin’ here, and where Colm is.” 

Colm O’Driscoll, one of Dutch Van Der Linde’s worst enemies, besides the law. Dutch and Colm used to run together, that is until things went south between the two. Dutch shot Colm’s brother, and in retaliation, Colm killed Dutch’s lover, a lovely young girl named Annabelle. They have been feuding and killing each other’s gang members ever since, so long in fact that no one really remembers a time when they weren’t fighting. 

“Oh, he’ll talk alright.” The grip around the O’Driscoll’s throat tightened and the man coward. “You best start talkin’ boy, if you do, well, I might just let your sorry hide live...whatchu think?” The man nodded 

“Okay okay! I’ll talk, anything you want to know just, don’t kill me please!” 

Arthur grinned, something dangerous flashing in his eyes “Well, where is he?” The man swallowed and shook, either from fear or from the cold, Arthur couldn’t tell, and really didn’t care. 

“He’s with the others! There's an old mining camp just southwest of here near a lake! That’s where you’ll find him!” 

Arthur chuckled “Guess you O’Driscoll boys ain’t as dumb as you look. What are you doin’ up here anyway? I know it ain’t a vacation trip, so what’s the deal?”

The man took too long to answer and Arthur socked him square in the nose “Speak boy, I won’t ask you again!” Arthur’s tone was low, like a growl and the man shook, this time Arthur was certain it was out of fear. 

“Th-There's a train! Colm said it has a lot of money on it, we was gonna blow the tracks! That’s all I know I swear, now please, please, don’t kill me!” 

A deep chuckle came from Dutch as he was leaning against the doorframe “Well, I would say you have this one Arthur. Do what you want with him, I don’t care. But bring that horse when you’re done, you’ll have to use it until we can find that other one.” 

“Sure,” Arthur said as Dutch walked off, back to the cabin. “Alright you, get outta here.” Arthur shoved the man down onto the floor and backed away, allowing him to scamper off. “I see you around again I’ll shoot you, you hear?” 

The man scrambled backward away from Arthur and nodded “Yes, clear as crystal, you won’t see me again, no sir!” 

The man ran off, as quick as the snow and the storm would allow him to, and Arthur turned to face the lone horse in the barn. It had been startled by the noise and commotion. “Easy boy...you’re okay.” Arthur slowly opened the stall door and moved near the horse “Shh Shh Shh...it's alright boy.” The horse settled and he patted its neck while grabbing the reins. “Come on, you’re coming with me.” Arthur clicked his tongue and led the horse outside and toward the cabin. 

“You let that boy live? Saw him running off a minute ago!” Dutch shouted over the wind 

“Yeah, figured he wouldn’t get too far in this on his own anyway!” 

Dutch grunted and motioned to a hitching post near the cabin. “Hitch that horse up there and come help me with this stu-” 

“GET AWAY FROM ME!” A scream pierced the night air, it was coming from inside the cabin. Dutch and Arthur didn’t hesitate and rushed inside to quite a sight. Micah was chasing a woman, with long blonde hair around the house, laughing at her. She was screaming and brandishing a large knife, trying to keep Micah away from her. 

“Micah what the hell do you think you’re doin’?!” Dutch yelled at him 

“Look what I found in the cellar! Wild thing ain’t she!” Micah laughed and chased her so she was trapped behind a table, with him on the other side. 

“Leave her alone!” Dutch was trying to maneuver his way around Micah 

“I wasn’t doin’ nothin’! She’s one of those O’Driscoll’s Dutch!” 

“No she ain’t Micah, look at her!” The woman was dressed in nothing but a nightgown.”Miss! Miss, it’s alright!” Dutch was trying his best to calm her down, but the situation only worsened when Micah flipped the table over and sent plates and a burning oil lantern crashing to the floor. The oil spilled and the floor of the cabin lit up in flames. “Oh, you fool! Micah!” Dutch wrapped an arm around the man and shoved him backward toward Arthur while he tried to soothe the woman. “Miss, listen...It is gonna be okay. We mean you no harm.” The woman backed up and held the knife out towards the leader “Miss, please…” Dutch gently took her wrist and pushed her arm down, so he wasn’t in danger of getting stabbed. “Please...come on, it’ll be okay.” 

The flames from the lamp were now licking up the walls, the whole place was going up like a lit match. “We need to get out of here, and quick.” Dutch wrapped his arm around the scared woman’s shoulders and led her towards the door and outside. Once they were safely out of the house Dutch addressed the woman “Are you okay? What happened here?” She shook her head and shivered. 

“They came three days ago...and my husband they…” Her words turned into choked out sobs. 

“Listen to me, you are safe now, but you can’t stay here…” Dutch looked back over his shoulder to see the small cabin engulfed in flames. The contrast of the orange flames against the pure white snow was startling and ominous.

Arthur came up behind Dutch “She comin’ back with us then?” Dutch nodded and passed a lamp over to him while he climbed onto The Count. Arthur soothed her as he helped her onto the horse as well “It’s gonna be okay. Now I ain’t gonna lie to you, we are...bad men, but we ain’t them so… it's okay. We’ll keep you safe until you figure out what you wanna do, okay?” She nodded and Arthur climbed onto the back of the new horse he had retrieved from the barn. 

”What’s your name miss?” Dutch asked as they made their way away from the cabin

“Alder.” She said quietly 

“Adler?” Dutch gently questioned and she nodded 

“Sadie Adler...Misses...I...He...He was my husband...They killed my husband…”

##  **************

Back at the camp, people were getting restless. “They should have been back by now...Hosea, it's been hours.” 

Hosea sighed “I know Ms.Grimshaw, but I trust they will be back here very soon. We’ve got people on watch. They’ll holler if anyone turns up, you and the girls need to get some rest.” 

Ms.Grimshaw sighed in frustration “I’m just worried is all, are you sure we shouldn’t send someone out lookin’ for them?” 

Hosea was about to answer when he heard Lenny, one of the men on guard duty call out. “Someone’s comin’! Looks like it’s Dutch! Everyone, Dutch is back!” 

Hosea let out a relieved sigh “See, I told you they’d be back.” He turned around and headed outside into the weather, Mrs.Grimshaw following close behind “How’d you get on, Dutch?” Hosea said as everyone gathered around the riders and Mrs.Adler. 

“Micah found a homestead, but he weren’t the first. Colm O’Driscoll and his scum, they beat us to it! We found some of them there, but there is more about, apparently.” Dutch grunted as he dismounted The Count and helped Mrs.Adler down as well. “Scoutin’ a train, at least that's what Arthur got out of one of them.”

“That's the last thing we need right now Dutch,” Hosea said disapprovingly, he knew how Dutch was when it came to stealing and robbing, the Blackwater job confirmed it even more. Any talk of money and Dutch was like a horse chomping at its bit, eager and wanting to gallop away. 

“Well, it is what it is. But we found some supplies, some blankets, a little bit of food, and this poor soul Mrs.Adler.” Everyone turned to look at the scared woman “Ms.Tilly, Ms.Karen would you warm her up? Give her a drink of something? Mrs.Adler it's gonna be okay, you’re safe now.” Dutch said as he passed her off to two of the women of the camp before turning back to Hosea. “They turned her into a widow. Animals. I need to rest, I haven’t slept in three days.” 

Ms.Grimshaw immediately came forward “You’re over here, Ms.O’Shea will show you the way. Mr.Morgan, we put you in a room over here.” She pointed to the cabin where Ms.O’Shea was leading Dutch 

“Thank you Ms.Grimshaw.” 

“Mr.Bell, you’re with the fellas over there.” She pointed to a smaller cabin off to the side. 

Micah immediately started to complain “Wha-? How come Arthur gets a room and I get a bunk bed next to Bill Williamson and a bunch of darkies?” 

“Get yourself to bed!” Hosea snapped at Micah, which sent him scurrying into the cabin.

Once Micah was out of sight Arthur came back to Susan “Where’d you put the kid? I need to talk to her.”

Susan pointed to the old schoolhouse “She’s in there with the other girls, back left corner.” 

Arthur nodded “Thank you, for everythin’.” 

Ms.Grimshaw shook her head “No need to thank me, now get yourself inside, get warm, and get yourself some rest before I beat you!” 

Arthur chuckled “Yes, ma’am.” 

“I mean it Mr.Morgan. Have your conversation, then off to bed with you!” 

Arthur nodded and headed over to the old schoolhouse and knocked on the door before entering. “Kid, you awake in here?” He heard shuffling 

“I’m over here, and I’m not a kid, I’m twenty-two for goodness sakes.” 

Arthur tilted his head a little in surprise “Twenty-Two? Seriously? You look younger, you sure you ain’t lyin’ to me?” 

There was a sigh “Why would I lie to you? That’s probably the most foolish decision I could make right now, don’t you think?” 

Arthur pondered that thought for a moment “Not really, you’re out here tryin’ to survive like the rest of us, lyin’ don’t seem all that strange to me.” 

She chuckled “Well coming from a group of outlaws I suppose it wouldn’t seem strange.”

That took Arthur off guard “Outlaws? I never told you we were outlaws…” He heard her say something under her breath 

“I’ll explain later, I promise. If I tell you now your head might explode from what I tell you.” Arthur looked scared and she noticed “Not literally, it's a figure of speech.” 

Now he just looked confused “You ain’t makin’ much sense…” 

She waved him over “Don’t worry about it. What did you need me for anyway? Something wrong?” 

Arthur looked down as he walked over to her sleeping space “Well, kinda...I um...well I may have lost your horse…” Silence filled the small space “Well technically Micah lost him but either way, he got spooked and ran off, we ain’t seen him since.”

“Micah.” The word was said with such venom that it took Arthur completely off guard. 

“You say that like you hate the guy.” 

She nodded “I do.” 

Arthur paused “You’ve met him?” 

Heather scoffed, “No. But I know a lot about him, and I don’t like him.” 

Arthur frowned, “What else do you know about this gang?” His tone was stern, intimidating even, it was the same tone he used with that O’Driscoll boy back in that barn. 

A chill ran up her spine “I’m no threat to you or anyone here Arthur, I promise you, I also promise you that I will tell you everything in the morning. You, Dutch, and Hosea, okay?” 

Arthur studied the girl for a moment. When he found her in that barn, she seemed harmless enough, but even a snake seems harmless from a distance. “How do I know I can trust you?” 

She sighed and reached into her bag “Here” she said as she pulled out her gun. “Take it and hide it somewhere if you want, heck, take the whole bag if it’ll make you feel better.”

He nodded and did just that “You tell us what you know, and if we trust you, you can have it back. Deal?” 

She nodded “Deal, now go get some rest, you have got to be exhausted.”

Arthur studied her again for a moment before grunting and hiking the bag onto his shoulder and heading out the door. He went to the cabin just across from the schoolhouse and into the room on the right. Dutch and Hosea were already asleep, and that was exactly where he was heading himself. 

The room had a bed in the back left corner, the mattress looked rather flimsy but he was willing to take anything at this point. A small nightstand sat at the end of it, with a desk against the back wall that sat under a small window. There was a large shelf in the back right corner of the room, beside the desk and another slightly larger nightstand on the left wall under another small window followed by another, larger, desk.

Arthur set the bag down inside one of the shelves in the right corner before removing his gunbelt and satchel. He removed his Cattleman Revolver from its holster and put it on the desk right next to the bed, just in case he needed it during the night. He didn’t bother stripping down for bed, it was far too cold for that, even with a fire burning in the fireplace just outside in the main room. He sat on the bed, lit a lantern, and pulled his old brown leather journal, and began to write...

_**May 1899,** _

_**We have been running for weeks, I mean running more than usual. The job they was pulling in Blackwater, robbing that ferry, it turned into a disaster. Young Jenny got killed, poor thing, while Sean and Mac both got arrested, or killed, nobody seems sure which. Dutch shot a girl, I am not too sure if by accident or design, and it seems like it might have been a setup. We took to the hills in an almighty scramble, leaving money and most of our things behind. Then, as we were fleeing east over the Grizzlies, an almighty storm hit us. Davey Callendar, who had got shot in the gut on the raid, passed away. It was brutal to watch, and the rest of us nearly froze, but we found shelter and have been resting here in some old, abandoned mining town while we await the thaw.** _

_**Hardly the spring I had been hoping for. Hosea and I had been planning a robbery of our own in Blackwater, but I guess that’s been abandoned along with most of what I owned. I am profoundly concerned as to what happens next, once we leave this place or the law finds us cowering up here.** _

_**Found a girl while I was scouting the place out, she was huddled up in the barn here, with the strangest horse I’ve ever seen. Big black stallion with coal-black eyes that turn white when he’s scared, and he’s got teeth that are jagged and sharp as daggers. The girl, or well, the woman I should say since she’s twenty-two, named Heather, said the horse’s name was Reaver, a strange name for a strange horse. She says she's from the future, I looked through some of her things, I don’t think she’s lying, but if she ain’t she's got a hell of a lot of explaining to do.** _

_**Met another woman up here while Dutch and I went out to find John and Micah. Her husband had been murdered by some of Colm O’Driscoll’s boys, nasty business.** _

_**Found Micah but we haven’t found John yet.** _

_**Micah, that’s another mystery with Heather, says she hates him, but she’s never met him, she knows we are outlaws, but I never told her that...That kid is just full of surprises but I do not know if she is dangerous or not, I guess we shall soon find out. She said she would tell me, Dutch, and Hosea everything tomorrow, that’ll be the deciding factor I reckon, but until then I’m keeping her stuff in this room I’m currently holed up in, told her I’d give it back if we deemed her trustworthy. I just hope we make it out of here soon, and that we ALL make it out ALIVE.** _

Arthur sighed and shut his journal, putting it back into his satchel, before finally laying down and closing his eyes. It was going to be tough surviving out here that was for sure, food would be scarce most likely, and keeping warm would be another issue entirely. But with any luck, a hope, and a prayer, they might just make it off this Godforsaken mountain alive and move back out west, at least, that was the plan that Arthur was hoping for, and what he dreamed of when he finally fell asleep.


	9. CHAPTER VIII: Finding John

The morning sun brought a blinding white light shining through the dusty and cracked windows. Arthur groaned and blindly searched for his hat, which was on the table next to him. He placed his worn hat over his face to try and get some more sleep when voices outside his door caught his attention.

“So what are we gonna do now, Dutch?” Arthur recognized Hosea’s tired voice.

“We get strong, we get warm, we wait and when the storm breaks we move. But we’re safe here and warm enough not to freeze to death.” Dutch said, trying to reassure the older man.

“I guess.” Hosea didn’t sound so sure and Dutch seemed to pick up on it.

“You sound doubtful, Hosea.”

“I’m not doubtful, just worried.”

Arthur stood up and moved to lean against the doorframe as he listened to the two men bicker at each other. They were both sitting in old, worn out, wooden chairs in front of the fire; trying to knock the chill out of the frigid morning air.

Dutch noticed Arthur and turned to address him “What do you think, Arthur?”

Arthur sighed not expecting to be called out by the leader “Well I wasn’t on that boat so hard to say, but I trust your judgement, Dutch, always have.”

“Thank you, son,” Dutch said, seemingly pleased with Arthur’s response before turning his attention back to Hosea. “We have been shot at before Hosea I don’t feel that this is honestly anything new.”

“I hope not…”

“We had a bit of bad luck, Hosea I’ll admit that. But then the storm covered our tracks, so now we wait a bit then we go back to Blackwater and we get our money, or we get some more money and we keep headin’ west.”

“But we’re heading east!” Hosea argued back like Dutch didn’t realize it himself.

“For now, Hosea. For now. But we got this. We’re safe!” Dutch paused as he stood up from the chair and laid his hand on Hosea’s shoulder “Stay strong, Hosea, and Arthur…” The leader turned once again to face him “Well you know me, son, I am just gettin’ started, and once we get some money...well they’d better send some good men after us, ‘cause they ain’t never gonna find us...but in order to get out of here we need money.”

Arthur nodded without hesitation “Of course, Dutch.”

Dutch stepped forward and placed his hand on Arthur’s shoulder “Thank you, son, for your strength. It means a lot to me...especially right now.”

“Sure.” Arthur said, “Oh, by the way, that kid from yesterday...there’s somethin’ strange about her.”

Dutch paused on his way out the door “I’m assuming something stranger than what she told us last night?” Dutch was confused, what could possibly be more strange than having someone tell you they were from the future?

“She knows about us Dutch. She knows we’re outlaws and I didn’t say nothin’ to her about that.” Arthur said a little frantically “She said she’d tell us this mornin’ but I..I jus’ don’t know.”

“So what do you suggest? That we just leave the poor girl up here to freeze? I raised you better than that, son.” Dutch’s tone was firm and condescending.

“No I ain’t sayin’ that at all I jus’...I jus’ think we should keep an eye on her. At least til’ we know for certain what’s goin’ on. I mean if…” Arthur stepped closer to Dutch so only he could hear him “If she is tellin’ the truth, and she really is from the future, then how the hell she even get here?”

“Did you ever think to ask her, Arthur? She might know about us, about who we are, but she is one girl. What could she possibly do to us?” Dutch had a point and Arthur knew it.

“I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right. Now come on, let's go talk to her.” 

The pair walked outside into the cold morning air “Ms.Grimshaw!” Dutch called to the older woman of the camp.

“Yes, Dutch?” She replied as she hurried over 

“The young girl that we brought into our care, where is she?” Dutch asked as he looked around. 

“Ms.Heather?”

“Yes.”

“She is in that building with the rest of the girls. I think she is still asleep.” Ms.Grimshaw pointed to the old schoolhouse that sat across from the cabin that Dutch, Arthur, and Hosea were currently staying in.

“Thank you, Ms.Grimshaw. Arthur, you go in there and get her, I am gonna check on the others.” 

“Sure,” Arthur responded as he headed into the smaller building and directly into a hushed conversation.

“He ain’t been seen in days, the weather hasn’t let up…” Abigail said in a worried tone.

“He’s strong, and he’s smart.” Tilly Jackson said, trying to bring comfort to the distraught woman.

“Strong at least,” Abigail said in a spiteful tone, one she used only when talking about John Marston.

Arthur made his way over to the small fire burning in the fireplace as he looked around for Heather. He saw her sleeping in the far corner of the room, alone.

“Hello, Arthur,” Abigail said, trying to get his attention.

“Abigail,” Arthur responded shivering.

“Arthur...how you doing?”

“Just fine Abigail...and you?” He could tell she wanted something from him.

“I need you to…”

Arthur sighed and lightly rolled his eyes. He knew this was coming, whenever John got into any sort of trouble he was always the one to save him or clean up his messes.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry to ask but…”

“It’s little John...he’s got himself caught into a scrape again.” Arthur lightly brushed her off.

“He ain’t been seen in two...two days,” Abigail said frantically, trying her best not to become angry with Arthur.

“Your John’ll be fine. I mean, he may be as dumb as rocks and dull as rusted iron ...but that ain’t changin’ because...he got caught in some snowstorm!”

“At least go take a look.”

Arthur turned around hearing Hosea’s voice come from the door, it annoyed him a bit, but he wouldn’t voice it.

“Javier.”

“Yes?” An annoyed answer came from a Hispanic gentleman with a strong Mexican accent, sitting across from Arthur and Abigail.

“Javier, will you ride out with Arthur...to take a look for John? You’re the two best-fit men we’ve got right now.”

“Now?” Javier asked in almost disbelief, he had only just woken up himself.

“She’s…” Hosea turned to Abigail for a moment “We’re all worried about him.”

Arthur looked over at Hosea in annoyance giving him an old fashioned ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ look.

“I know.” Javier sighed out “If the situation were reversed...he’d look for me.” He handed Arthur a sawed-off shotgun and headed out the door. 

Arthur grumbled and took in the room with a sigh “Alright, fine, but when the kid wakes up, tell her to go find Dutch. She’s got some explainin’ to do.” He then turned around and followed Javier out into the snow.

##  *******Two Days Prior*******

This was the biggest mistake that John Marston would probably ever make. He was lost and caught in the storm with hardly any food, on the back of some random horse he stole on the way out of Blackwater. Dutch had sent him and Micha to scout ahead of everyone else, things were fine but they got separated when the storm blew through. So now here he was, on the side of some mountain somewhere, huddled by a pathetic campfire that was hardly anything more than a few burning coals, freezing to death.

He searched in his satchel for some food, but could only find provisions for the poor stolen horse. He took a bite out of one of the oatcakes and nearly choked on how dry it was. “How can you stand to eat this stuff? It’s horrible.” He grumbled to the horse who was totally ignoring him. “Look at me, talkin’ to a horse, maybe I really am as stupid as everyone says?” It was then that he realized the situation he was in, he was going to starve out here if he didn’t find something to eat.

Arthur had tried to teach him how to hunt when he was younger but gave up pretty quickly when he obliterated a rabbit with a shotgun slug. He was around twelve at the time; hadn’t ever really been hunting. Most of the food he ate was what he dug out of the trash in the towns, or stole from the General Store when no one was looking. But now it seemed he would learn, or he would die. That, and there was another problem, there was no fresh water around him, which meant no fish, which would be the easiest thing for him to catch out here.

He ate half of another Oatcake, giving the rest to his stolen horse when he heard howls in the distance, which meant only one thing, wolves. He kicked some snow over his measly fire and mounted his horse spurring her in the opposite direction of the howls. These were going to be the longest two days of John Marston’s life.

##  **************

He was able to find a river, after about a day of travel. It was frigid cold, but clean and as clear as a crystal. He was able to catch a few fish with a makeshift spear made from a branch. “At least I can fish, unlike Arthur,” John said to himself as he cooked the flaky meat over the fire. It was bigger this time so it actually kept him warm, and hopefully, it would keep any predators away from him. A sound and movement in the distance caught his eye. He couldn’t exactly make out what it was, since it was dark and the only light was the burning fire, but it looked like the outline of a horse.

He quickly got to his feet, maybe someone in the gang had found him? “Hello! Is anyone there?!” Silence answered him in return “You’re goin’ crazy Marston…” The shadow came closer and his stolen horse spooked and reared. “Easy girl!” John shouted to try and calm his steed down. He looked back up to where he saw the shadow of the horse only for it to be gone. “Yep...you’ve officially lost your damn mind.” A howl rose in the distance, not too far from where he was now. A chill ran down his spine at the sound, the wolves had followed his scent and they were getting closer.

He quickly mounted his horse, not bothering to put out the fire. His horse spooked as he mounted the saddle and bolted across the river and up the side of the mountain. “Woah girl, easy!” More howls pierced the air, they were close this time, way too close. “Come on, faster!” John yelled as he spurred the mare in the side.

Snarls sounded at their backs, along with the sound of snapping jaws. John's horse squealed, bucked, and toppled over onto her side, throwing him into the snow. Pain tore through John as the wind was knocked from his lungs. As he struggled to get up he was knocked onto his back. Pain raked down the side of his face as a snarl ripped through the air and into his ear. John yelled and fought the wolf off with a struggle, when he looked over his horse was on the ground, its intestines spilled out into the snow. He clumsily got to his feet and stumbled away from the gruesome scene and up the side of the mountain.

He heard snorting behind him, thundering hooves in the snow. But that wasn’t possible, his horse was dead. John spun around to see what was running up behind him. A large black stallion slammed into him, its eyes a pure moonstone white, its hooves a deep silver, and its teeth sharp as daggers. He fell back down into the snow as the beast stood over him, facing the direction he ran from. He was too afraid to move, afraid of being trampled under this horse’s hooves. He heard the howls in the distance. The wolves, he was gonna die, he just knew it, he could feel it in his gut.

The horse above him was calm, rigid, but calm, like a guardian. He saw the wolves now, running up the hill towards him at full speed. The stallion reared onto his hind hooves. He then charged the wolves at full speed, snapping at them almost like a dog. John didn’t wait around to see what happened to the horse, he got up and continued sprinting up the side of the mountain, disappearing into the storm.

##  *******Present Day*******

“This way. Last I know, John was headed up the river.” Javier said as he led Arthur north up the mountain.

“For all we know...he kept riding north and never looked back,” Arthur said as he drove his stolen horse into the snowstorm. He was annoyed, annoyed that he was having to once again go and clean up one of John Marston’s messes.

“He wouldn’t leave. Not like that.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.”

The pair rode further up the mountain in silence, the wind, though it had calmed down considerably from the day before, was biting and tearing at their bodies and lungs. 

“Hey!” Javier called over the howling wind, “I see some smoke. Come on, let’s take a look!”

“Sure, let’s just hope it ain’t more of O’Driscoll’s boys!” Arthur responded as he spurred his mount to go just a little faster through the snow.

“Well…” Javier climbed down off his horse as they got to the smoldering campfire. “...Seems somebody left….” he stuck his hand down close to the ashes and felt they were still warm. “...recently….and they went...that way!” A pair of hoof marks left the fireside and across the river, followed by what seemed to be several considerable-sized paw prints. 

“Sure, well, come on then!” With a slight sinking feeling in his gut as he followed Javier across the river. “So, do you think it’s John?”

“You tell me. Those are horse tracks for sure, but it could be anyone. Let’s see where they lead us.”

Arthur had a burning question. He wanted to know what happened back in that town back in Blackwater. “So….you were there, Javier, what really happened on that boat?”

Javier was silent for a moment before he answered. “We had the money, it seemed fine, then suddenly they were everywhere….”

“Bounty hunters?”

“No. Pinkertons. It was crazy. Raining bullets.”

Arthur had heard tell of the Pinkertons. The Pinkerton Detective Agency. If bounty hunters and sheriffs couldn’t stop the gangs of outlaws, the Pinkertons were called in to take them down. It wasn’t peaceful either. Everyone would be killed.

“Dutch killed a girl in a….bad way. But it was a bad situation.”

“That ain’t like him, though,” Arthur exclaimed. Sure they were outlaws, criminals, but Dutch Van Der Linde never killed anyone in cold blood, never. 

They came across a large ravine, and the horses whinnied and tossed their heads.

“Easy boy, it’s okay, you’re alright.” Arthur patted the horse’s neck, trying to soothe him.

“The tracks lead around it, to the other side, see?” Javier said as he pointed in front of him. “I don’t know why he’d come all the way out here, though, especially in this weather.”

“I saw some paw prints alongside the horse tracks a ways back,” Arthur said as he guided his horse alongside the ravine.

“Do you think they are wolves?” Javier asked, concerned.

“Possibly, I don’t know of any coyotes living this far north,” Arthur replied.

“We need to hurry then. He could be hurt. He’s already been shot!” Javier called as he spurred his horse to go faster once it was safe to do so.

“He got shot during that whole mess?!”

“Yeah! So did Mac! We still haven’t heard about what happened to Sean!”

“Damn…I knew John was hurt, just didn’t know he got shot.” Arthur’s mind whirled at the new piece of information. Just because he and John had a falling out, didn’t mean Arthur wanted the man dead.

“To be honest with you, Arthur, I’m surprised we escaped at all.”

“What you mean?”

“By the time you and the boys showed up from the other side of town; we were only just holding on…”

“Damn...that was some bad business alright. I’m glad we made it out alive...for the most part anyways.”

The weather only got worse the farther up the mountain they went.

“Damn snow is comin’ in hard again!” Arthur yelled

“I know, we need to move fast!”

They reached a pass that seemed to cut the top of the mountain almost in half, the snow was much thicker here, untouched, which made it hard on their horses.

“Come on boy!” Arthur said, trying to encourage his horse. “The horses are getting tired, Javier!”

“I know, there's a lot of fresh snow here!”

The tracks they were following only moments ago were completely covered by the freshly fallen snow.

“I don’t know about this, Javier. W-We can’t follow nothin’!”

“Let's push on a little bit, we might be able to pick up the tracks again.”

The path curved up and around, cresting at a somewhat flat area that seemed to connect to the side of another mountain. Just down that path was something that neither of them wanted to see.

“Arthur...do you see that?” Javier sounded concerned as he spurred his horse into a canter “John was riding that horse when we left Blackwater.”

“Oh...thats…” Arthur didn’t even want to finish his sentence. The horse was gutted, its entrails covered in snow and ice.

“He couldn’t have gotten too much further on foot, let's see if he can hear us.” Javier pulled out his revolver and shot up into the air, the crack of the shot echoing off the sides of the surrounding mountains

##  **************

John was freezing, he had barely escaped those wolves with his life intact and he now found himself huddled on a cliff edge, alone. Or at least he thought he was alone. The sudden sound of crunching snow behind him told him otherwise. He carefully turned around to face whatever was behind him, his body screaming in protest with the effort it took. There, in the cleft of the overhanging rock stood the massive stallion from earlier. It pierced him with its coal black eyes and John felt a chill go down his back. What was this beast?

His thought was cut short when he heard the distinct sound of a gunshot ring out through the howling wind. He did the first thing his mind told him to; he yelled. “HEY! OVER HERE!” He continued to yell until he heard two voices he immediately recognized. 

“Marston, you hear me? Marston!” Arthur.

“John! Where are you? Can you hear us!” Javier.

“I’m over here! On this ledge!” John called back to them. “Over here!” John yelled as he saw Javier come into view, only to watch him stop dead in his tracks.

##  **************

“Alright. Pipe down, Marston.” Arthur grumbled as he ran straight into Javier with a grunt. “What’chu stop for?” He asked; catching the smaller man before he could fall over.

“Arthur….what is that?” Javier said as he pointed over behind John, in the cleft of the rock face, and straight at the large black stallion.

“Holy shit...how’d you get up here?” Arthur mumbled as he stepped around Javier.

“Wait, you recognize this horse?” John called over his shoulder at Arthur.

“Yeah. I know him. He belongs to the kid.” Arthur grumbled as he stroked the horse’s muzzle.

“Kid?” John questioned “What kid?”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, Marston. All you need to worry about is gettin’ the hell offa this mountain.” Arthur snapped in rebuttal.

“Looks like we can go back down that way.” Javier said as he pointed to what appeared to be another path down.

“Alright then. C’mon.” Arthur gently grabbed Reaver’s makeshift bridle and tugged him forward; clicking his tongue to get the beast to follow him. “Here.” Arthur grumbled as he reached Javier “Hold him still, and for the love o’ God don’t spook him.”

Javier reluctantly held onto the bridle, keeping the stallion still as Arthur bent down and grabbed John, pulling him up and away from the cliff edge.

“Don’t die jus’ yet cowboy.” Arthur grunted as he put John on Reaver’s back.

Reaver startled and snorted, lightly rearing onto his hind legs. “Woah! Easy!” John yelled and gripped onto the rope that was used in place of reins with as much strength as he could muster up. “Where’d you say you found this horse?” 

“In a barn back where the rest of us are holed up.” Arthur murmured as he soothed the stallion, grabbing the bridle and tugging him forward along the path down the mountain.

“Has he even been broken?” Javier asked as he walked alongside them.

“No, I don’t think so. He don’t like bein’ spurred'. Bastard tried to throw me when I used ‘em.” Arthur replied.

“He don’t like wolves neither. Ran straight at them!” John exclaimed.

Arthur laughed “Y-haha! You mean to tell me a horse had to save your sorry hide from wolves?”

“I know it sounds crazy but it’s true!” John argued

“Sure! I believe you, Marston. I believe you jus’ about as much as I believed that ferry job in Blackwater was gonna work.” Arthur growled out, “I told Dutch not to send you out on the scoutin’ job once we got up in the mountains, told him you weren’t the right man for it.”

“Yeah...guess you were right on that one.” John grunted in pain.

“‘Course I was right! Jus’ look at you! You was almost wolf food! Best be glad that Abigail was worried ‘bout you, cause I wasn’t.”

“If you hate me so much just say it Arthur.” John murmured

“Alright, Marston.” Arthur quipped as he spun around to face John “I-”

“We’ve got a problem…” Javier said and pointed up to a cliff. Three wolves were staring them down, some already looked pretty mangled up, ears torn and bleeding, or favoring one leg more than the others.

“Aw shit....you two get on outta here. I’ll deal with the rest of John’s friends.” Arthur handed the reins over to Javier as he pulled his sawed-off from his holster, pulling the hammers back. “Come and get me, you bastards.” Arthur growled as the wolves charged down the hill.

Arthur aimed at the first wolf and pulled the trigger. A spattering of blood sprinkled the pure white snow as the wolf went down. The others hesitated for a moment, hackles raised, lips pulled back in a menacing snarl. 

“Well?! C’mon then! I ain’t got all day!” Arthur snarled through his teeth at the beasts.

Two more wolves lunged at him, one straight on, the other lunging at his arm. BANG! The shotgun went off again as a second wolf hit the snow in a pool of fresh steaming blood. A cry ripped from Arthur as the other wolf latched onto his arm “Get the hell offa me!” He yelled as he hit the wolf in the head with the muzzle of the gun. The wolf let go and fell into the snow with a yelp. Arthur quickly reloaded the gun and shot the beast, only stopping to catch his breath after he made sure it stayed down like the others.

“Arthur, are you alright?!” Javier called 

“I’m fine! Just got bit, I’ll live!” Arthur called back as he made his way over to Javier and John. “Lets get outta here and get John back to the others.” 

“Sounds good to me.” Javier exclaimed as he whistled for his and Arthur’s stolen horse before mounting up and looking over his shoulder. “You okay back there John?”

“I-I don’t feel so good…” John answered

“It’s just a dog bite, you’ll be fine.” Arthur grumbled as he mounted his stolen horse.

“Knew a fella who got bit by a dog, he died two days later.” John said.

“Yeah well, that ain’t gonna happen to you. We wouldn’t get lucky enough.” Arthur mumbled the last bit to himself as he tied Reaver’s makeshift reins to the back of his horse’s saddle. “C’mon lets get a move on, we’re losin’ daylight and I’d prefer not to be stuck out here all night.”

“You and me both.” Agreed John.

“Shut up Marston.” Arthur ground out as he spurred his stolen horse forward and back towards Colter.


End file.
